A Catmas Gift
by musicgal3
Summary: Demeter seemed to be very suspicious and temperamental lately, and Bombalurina and Alonzo are worried, not to mention Demeter's mate, Munkustrap! What could be wrong?
1. Another Queen?

**A Catmas Gift**

**CHAPTER 1: Another Queen?**

"Bombie?"

"Hmmm…?"

"Do you think Munkustrap's been acting kind of…well…_strange_ lately?"

Bombalurina tore her attention from the intense task of pedicuring her claws and glanced up at her sister, Demeter. "How so?"

Demeter frowned. "Well…for one, he's been pacing around a lot lately."

"Doesn't he always do that?" Bombalurina ducked to avoid the swipe Demeter took at her and smirked.

"No. He seems sort of…preoccupied. He doesn't seem to notice I'm _there_ half the time."

Bombalurina's eyebrows shot up. _Uh-oh, this could be bad…_

"And that's not all," Demeter continued, noticing her sister's expression. "This morning, he brought me breakfast-in-bed."

Bombalurina was clearly baffled. "What's so unusual about that?"

Demeter looked exasperated. "Bombie, don't you get it? He hasn't given me breakfast-in-bed since our first mating anniversary!"

"Well, maybe he's getting back that tiny bit of romantic spark he used to have," Bombalurina said nonchalantly as she returned to her pedicure.

Demeter grabbed Bombalurina's paw and looked into her eyes. She looked desperate. "You don't understand! He hasn't been acting like himself lately. There's only one solution." Demeter swallowed hard and blinked back tears while her sister watched expectantly. "He must be seeing another queen." The words were obviously forced out of her throat.

Bombalurina gently extracted her paw from Demeter's tight grasp. "Deme, dear, don't you think you're being just a little bit melodramatic? The idea of Munkustrap cheating on you is…well, it's unthinkable! Preposterous! Why, he adores you to pieces! I'm sure he'd do anything for you. I'm sure there's another – a reasonable – explanation."

"But what else could it be?"

"I…" Bombalurina faltered. What other explanation _could_ there be? "I don't know," she admitted softy, mentally kicking herself as the words escaped her mouth. The scarlet queen sent a silent prayer up to the Everlasting Cat that there _was_ another explanation.


	2. What Could Be Wrong?

**CHAPTER 2: What Could Be Wrong?**

"Hey, Alonzo?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you noticed anything up with Deme lately?"

"You mean other than her ears and headfur?"

"Ha-ha," Munkustrap said flatly.

Alonzo grinned cheekily. "Good one, huh?"

"Will you just answer my question?" Munkustrap snapped.

Alonzo stopped his jocularity. "Well, come to think of it, she _has_ seemed a little…out of it."

Munkustrap grimaced and nodded. "Yes, that's what _I_ thought. She seems a bit moody, too. I'm afraid to say anything in case she blows up at me. I don't know what could be wrong." Munkustrap stared out over the junkyard, unseeing. There was a distant look in his eyes. "And I don't know what I can do." He heaved a heavy sigh and ran his claws through his headfur. "I've even tried giving her breakfast-in-bed. It only worked temporarily."

Alonzo reflected back on his relationship with his mate, Cassandra. There had been moments when Cassandra had dangerously-quick changes of temperament, but she was never 'off with the fairies'. So what could be the matter with Demeter? Granted, Demeter wasn't exactly Cassandra…


	3. News

**CHAPTER 3: News**

"Mum, are you sure?"

"Oh, I'm quite certain, dear. But if you want a second opinion…"

Demeter glanced down at her slightly-swollen belly. She had been wondering why she'd been getting tired fairly quickly of late. A smile broke across her face and she shook her head. "No, I don't need a second opinion. Just one is fine." She looked back up at her mother, Jellylorum, and then to Bombalurina, who grinned.

"So, I'm finally going to be an aunty, am I? Jeez, you two took your time about it."

Demeter playfully poked out her tongue.

Bombalurina reverted to a more serious track of conversation. "Aren't you glad now that I dragged you out here? I knew there had to be a good explanation for all those mood swings I've been having to put up with recently."

"I have not been having mood swings!" Demeter said harshly, defensively and indignantly.

Bombalurina and Jellylorum looked at her with raised eyebrows.

Demeter got the hint and realized, on reflection, that what Bombalurina had said was true – she _had_ been awfully moody lately. Maybe there was nothing wrong with Munkustrap at all. Maybe he noticed her moodiness and just didn't know what to do. She smiled wryly. "Well, maybe a few," she admitted sheepishly. She turned to her mother. "How far am I into the pregnancy?"

"About three weeks, my dear, so you're almost halfway there."

"_Three weeks?!_" Demeter gasped. "And I didn't know until _now_?"

Jellylorum chuckled. "At least you _did_ find out, or it'd be a nasty surprise when it was time to deliver!"

Demeter giggled. "So that would mean I'm due around New Year's, right?"

"Right," Jellylorum confirmed.

"I suppose you should tell Munkustrap now, huh?" Bombalurina suggested pointedly.

"Uh, yeah, I suppose so. Thanks, Mum." She hugged Jellylorum.

"Congratulations, my dear," Jellylorum whispered, squeezing her daughter tight.

"Yeah, congrats, sis," Bombalurina said, casually slinging her arm around Demeter's shoulders after Demeter released their mother from the embrace.

"Thanks." A blush crept to Demeter's cheeks.

Bombalurina patted Demeter's back. "Now off you go. Go tell him!"


	4. Breaking the News

**CHAPTER 4: Breaking the News**

"You're _what_?"

Demeter nodded and smiled happily. "I'm pregnant. We're going to be parents, Munk."

"Wow! I – oh, wow." Munkustrap sank onto the bed her shared with his mate. He looked as though someone had just knocked the wind out of him.

"I know! Isn't it incredible?"

"Incredible," the silver-and-black tom muttered.

Demeter cocked her head to the side, her face falling. "You are…happy, aren't you?"

Munkustrap glanced up at his mate and smiled softly. "Of _course_ I'm happy, Dem – how could I not be? It's just…a little unexpected. It's a lot to take in." He gently took her paw, and his eyes inadvertently flicked to Demeter's stomach.

Demeter noticed where Munkustrap's eyes were focused and smiled gently. She stepped closer to her mate and placed his paw on her belly.

Munkustrap's eyes widened when he felt a small kick from inside Demeter's belly. "Wow…" He looked up at Demeter's face in wonder.

"I'm sorry I've been so moody lately," Demeter said, feeling that she should explain while she had the chance. "I'll try to tone down the mood swings, but apparently pregnancy meddles with a queen's temperament."

Munkustrap pulled Demeter onto his lap. "It's fine. Don't worry yourself about it, darling." He craned his neck upwards and kissed her. "When are you due?" he asked when they parted.

"Around New Year."

Munkustrap grinned. "Great timing. We'll not only be starting a new year, but a new phase of life as well."

"Exciting, isn't it?" Demeter returned Munkustrap's grin before leaning in for another kiss.


	5. Relief

**CHAPTER 5: Relief**

"So that's all it was?"

"What do you mean, 'that's all'?" Bombalurina demanded. "It's a jolly exciting thing!"

"I meant, it wasn't anything bad," Alonzo hastily amended.

"No, nothing bad."

Alonzo breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I was worried about him – well, more about Dem, in case there _was_ something wrong. So, naturally, I was worried about whether or not their relationship would survive. So I'm to be an uncle, huh? An uncle and a second-cousin. That is cool."

Bombalurina blinked several times as she tried to keep up with Alonzo's steady stream of words. Finally, she contented herself with only taking notice of the last three sentences. "And I finally get to be an aunty," she added, beaming.

"What a relief."

Bombalurina had to agree.


	6. Merry Catmas, Darling

**CHAPTER 6: Merry Catmas, Darling**

"Merry, Catmas, Dem." Munkustrap wrapped his arms around Demeter's now-rather large waist and purred.

Demeter purred in return. "Merry Catmas to you, too, Munk." Demeter turned her head so she could kiss her mate.

Munkustrap returned the kiss passionately. When the two broke apart, Munkustrap placed his ear against Demeter's belly. He smiled when he heard a kick. He looked back up at a proud-looking Demeter. "Isn't it surreal?"

"Yes, it is," Demeter managed to reply just before Munkustrap took her lips once more.

* * *

"And now for breffasht," Munkustrap announced, walking into the den with several mousecakes – and a red rose in his mouth.

Demeter giggled. "Oh, Munku." When her eyes landed on the mousecakes, however, she froze.

"What? Don't you trust my cooking?" Munkustrap joked.

Demeter turned her green eyes to meet Munkustrap's blue ones.

Munkustrap could instantly see in her eyes that something wasn't right. "Dem, what is it? What's wrong?"

"It's the kittens. I – I think they're coming!" Just as she finished the sentence, a sharp pain caused her to inhale a large amount of air.

Instantly, Munkustrap dropped everything and ran outside. "Jelly!" he yelled. "Jelly!"

In a matter of seconds, a tousled-looking Jellylorum arrived breathlessly at the scene. "What is it?"

"It's Dem," Munkustrap explained hurriedly. "She thinks the kittens are coming."

Without further ado, Jellylorum bustled her way inside the den and over to her daughter.

"Well?" Munkustrap called from outside (he was unsure as to whether or not he should enter).

"Give me time to examine the patient!"

Munkustrap began wringing his paws anxiously.

Bombalurina was the next cat to arrive. "I heard you call for Mum. Is Dem okay?"

"They're coming!"

Bombalurina had never seen Munkustrap look so frightened or heard him so panicked. "But they're a week early!"

Munkustrap nodded mutely, and Bombalurina understood.

* * *

"Can I see her yet?"

"Patience, young tom! In a minute."

Jellylorum and her sister, Jennyanydots finished clearing the den up.

"Okay, you can come in now."

Munkustrap burst into the den and rushed to his mate's side. "Deme!"

Demeter smiled happily up at Munkustrap. "Six of them, Munks. Just imagine. Two toms, four queens. Six of them." She gazed down at the tiny newborns in her arms. "Six healthy kittens, even though they're premature."

Munkustrap reached out and began softly stroking the one nearest to him. "Precious," he whispered, kissing his mate lightly. "Thankyou, Dem."

"Merry Catmas, darling."

* * *

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the characters in this story; they belong solely to T.S. Eliot, Andrew Lloyd Webber and whoever else helped to create them. I DO, however, own the story, and is it protected in my name under Australian Copyright Law dating back to 2009.**


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